~ Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and support is my middle name… actually it's Marie, but that's not important. Just a quick note, there will be small excerpts from Phantom of the Opera, but not enough to take away from the show. I saw the play and it was breath taking, see it of you get a chance. I should also probably comment that I don't own Phantom, yada, yada, and make no money off of it, yada, yada, and the same with the Ninja Turtles, yada, yada. Okay, on with the show!
When the turtles would go out on patrol, I would take the time to explore the sewers a bit, get familiar to the surroundings. On each outing I would go a little farther than before and was soon able to run around the sewers aimlessly and know how to get back to the lair. I still haven't gone back home to my apartment because we went to check it a week ago and found it completely trashed. Every evening I would be escorted to the theater and one would always be there to take me back to the lair. Usually they took turns.
James confronted me with questions about where I have been, what happened, and if I was okay, when he first saw me. I explained that I was staying with friends since I got attacked again and was staying with them for a while. When he questioned if they were the turtle he saw, I played dumb and insisted that I never saw any such thing. James hasn't asked me any question since, but always seemed very suspicious.
It was four months since the last attack and the murder of Mariska in the alley. One evening I was in the practice room doing some exercises when Michelangelo came in and told me that I had to see the report on the TV. I went out and sat on the couch next the Raphael. Everyone was there watching the news. It was April in the scene of another alley. Chills were running up my spine.
"This evening police reveal that two more bodies were found and they are believed to be connected to the first body of Mariska that was found." I took a breath when they said her name but kept silent.
"A note was found on the first body with the drawing of a mask. The second two also had a similar note with each of them. The mask drawn on each note were identical to the promotional mask used to advertised for the Phantom of the Opera. We believe that someone is trying to write their own Phantom of the Opera script. We'll continue to update you as we get more information. This is April O'Neil, channel three news. April gave a slight nod, bouncing her red hair. The TV switched to other news and then was shut off.
"Okay guys," Leonardo stood up. "You know what we have to do." Michelangelo and Donatello got up.
"So we tackle the first guy we see carrying a mask," Raphael said. "I mean, what do we look for?" Leonardo just looked at his brother. With a sigh, Raphael got up and grabbed his stuff. Heading out I waved wishing them luck. With a sigh, I turned to Master Splinter.
"Would you like some tea?" I asked. Master Splinter nodded and said that he would be in his room. I went to the kitchen and put on a kettle. For a moment I cocked my heard. It sounded like someone was playing an organ nearby. Then it stopped. I shrugged and waited for the pot to boil. I leaned on the table when I felt someone touch my back. Quickly turning, I skittered around the table. A man with a hockey mask on was standing there. He recognized that I was about to scream and held up his hands.
"Easy, easy," He said trying to calm me. "I'm a friend."
"Master Splinter," I screamed. "Somebody." I was cornered in the kitchen. Master Splinter walked in and looked at me.
"What's the matter Melody?" He asked calmly. I pointed at the guy in the mask and Master Splinter let out a breath. "Really Casey, must you still wear such a ridiculous mask?"
"Sorry," Casey took off the mask to reveal just an ordinary guy. "Hey there," he said to me and offered his hand. "Name's Casey, Casey Jones." I let him shake my hand and stood there, feeling a little embarrassed. Master Splinter explained that I was a guest, and took some tea, the pot was boiling, and retired to his room. I went in the living room, sat on the couch and found Casey sitting next to me.
"You look familiar," Casey said. "Have you been on TV?"
"Only on a news report," I told Casey who I was and why I was there. When I finished he let out a breath.
"Sorry about startling you," Casey said. "I was just stopping by to see if the guys needed any help but they're already gone." He got up and waved at me. "It was nice to meet you Melody, take care."
A little stunned by his abrupt leaving, I waved by and watched him leave. I went to practice for the play and the director was finishing blocking all but the last three scenes of the play. Then the director had us run through it. At the end of practice, James offered to take me home as usual, he was playing Andre` in the Phantom. I declined politely and waited until I saw his car drive off before leaving. The turtles had found a sewer grate I could open myself and get in and out of. I wandered in the sewers just a little and I could have sworn that I could hear the organ music again. Shivering I ran back to the lair and crawled onto the couch to sleep.